AC/DC's first album in eight years, Black Ice, arrives on today (October 20th) exclusively at Wal-Mart stores, Walmart.com and ACDC.com. While the hard-rocking 15-song set doesn't offer anything radically different from the Australian group's 14 previous studio albums, lead guitarist Angus Young said he thinks that's the biggest reason AC/DC has lasted so long: "I think as a band, you spend all your early years defining your own style, you know, and with us, it was always hard-edged rock 'n' roll band. You want to put on a record and, you know, automatically go, 'Well, that's them. That's AC/DC.'"
Wal-Mart will also be the exclusive retailer for AC/DC Live: Rock Band Track Pack, a special collection of songs for the Rock Band video game.
A world tour in support of Black Ice begins with a private "dress rehearsal" show on October 28th in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania. Tickets for the trek are among the hottest of the year, with gigs selling out in record time and second nights being added in several major cities.
Although AC/DC does not sell its songs at digital retailers like iTunes, Black Ice leaked online two weeks ago. According to Internet tracking company Big Champagne, it was downloaded 100,000 times a day in the last week alone.
AC/DC has sold more than 200 million albums worldwide and is second only to the Beatles as the biggest selling act in the U.S. The band was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2003.
Marilyn Manson is "pretty much finished" with a new album that will come out sometime in 2009. In an interview with Bloody-Disgusting.com, Manson said he penned the new disc's tracks with bassist Jeordie White, the man better known as Twiggy Ramirez. Twiggy co-wrote Antichrist Superstar and Mechanical Animals with Manson and, according to the singer, the forthcoming record will "be more like Antichrist Superstar" than other efforts.
Ramirez took a break from Manson's band in 2002 but returned to the fold earlier this year.
Guitarist Wes Borland is also now part of the Manson crew and will be touring with the band.
Manson presented the "Best On Screen Mutilation" award at the 2008 Scream Awards on Saturday (October 18th). The show will be broadcast Tuesday (October 21st) on Spike TV.
Hinder is literally taking it to the limit with the artwork for its upcoming album, Take It To The Limit. When the disc comes out on November 4th, it'll be available with either a PG-rated cover or a limited edition, X-rated version. The Oklahoma band boasted on its website, "You will want to get your hands on this version, and once you have it you will see why. This the album your mom and dad won't want you to own."
Take It To The Limit is the follow-up to Hinder's triple-platinum 2005 debut, Extreme Behavior.
The video for the album's second single, "Without You," is due out later this month and features Friday Night Lights actress Aimee Teegarden alongside Kellan Lutz of the new 90210.
Hinder is also featured in the November issue of Blender magazine.